Catheters are used to treat many different types of medical conditions and typically include an elongated catheter tube that is inserted into and through a passageway or lumen of the body. Urinary catheters and, in particular, intermittent urinary catheters are commonly used by individuals who suffer from certain abnormalities of the urinary system, such as urinary incontinence. With the advent of intermittent urinary catheters, individuals with problems associated with the urinary system can conveniently self-catheterize to drain the individual's bladder. Individuals who suffer from urinary incontinence will often self-catheterize several times a day.
Self-catheterization involves removing the catheter assembly from its package and inserting and advancing the catheter tube through the user's urethra. Often, urinary catheter assemblies include a urine collection container that must either be attached by the user or is pre-attached to the catheter. In many cases, users of intermittent urinary catheters have limited or diminished dexterity that is often the result of spinal cord injuries. Also, users of intermittent catheters are often required to self-catheterize outside the privacy of the home, such as in public restrooms. Thus, for these and other reasons, it is desirable that the intermittent catheters and the urine collection containers associated with catheter assemblies be easy to manipulate and deploy. It is also desirable that the container be discreetly provided and that the entire catheter assembly be disposable in a discreet manner.